Threshold



Jan. 7, 1958 F. LAPKA, JR 2,818,614

THRESHOLD Filed July 23, 1956 Fig. l3

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' Fran/r Lapk Jr.

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&\ I win United States Patent THRESHOLD Frank Lapka, Jr., Belleville, Ill.

Application July 23, 1956, Serial No. 599,609.

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-64) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in thresholds and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which will yieldingly engage the lower edge of the door for providing a weather-tight seal when said door is in closed position.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a threshold of the aforementioned character which will automatically adjust to the door regardless of variations or irregularities in the lower edge thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a selfadjusting threshold of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a threshold constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the device installed with a portion thereof broken away;

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section substantially similar to Figure 2 but showing the door in closed position.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a metallic bar of substantially H-shaped transverse section which is designated generally by reference character 5. The bar 5 may be of any suitable metal. Formed integrally with the sides 6 of the bar 5, which may also be of any desired dimensions, is a pair of outwardly and downwardly inclined flanges 7 and 8. The inner longitudinal marginal portion of the flange 7 is apertured at spaced points to accommodate countersunk securing screws 9. The bar 5 further includes a raised longitudinally extending intermediate or central portion 10 having a notch or recess 11 in the end portion thereof which is remote from the usual hinges 12 of the door 13.

Mounted longitudinally in the upper portion of the bar 5 is a vertically slidable Weatherstrip 14 of suitable material. The Weatherstrip 14 includes a transversely curved or rounded upper face 15 which is engageable by the lower edge 16 of the door 13. Inturned stop flanges 17 are provided on the upper portions of the walls 6 of the bar 5 for the Weatherstrip 14. Downwardly offset complemental flanges 18 are provided on the longitudinal marginal portions of the Weatherstrip 14 for engagement beneath the flanges 17.

Mounted longitudinally beneath the Weatherstrip 14 in ICC the bar 5 for yieldingly urging said Weatherstrip upwardly is an undulated fiat spring 19 of suitable resilient metal. A reversely bent hock 20 anchors one end of the spring 19 to the bar 5, the notch or recess 11 in the portion 10 of said bar accommodating said hook. This is shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawing. At its other end, the spring 19 terminates in inwardly spaced relation to the corresponding end of the bar 5.

It is thought that the operation or use of the threshold will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the spring 19 yieldingly urges the Weatherstrip 14 upwardly in the bar 5, the flanges 18 engaging beneath the flanges 17 for positively limiting the upward movement of said Weatherstrip. With the door 13 in open position, the rounded or curved upper face 15 of the Weatherstrip 14 is normally above the horizontal plane of the lower edge 16 of said door. When the door 13 is swung to closed position the lower edge thereof engages and rides easily over the arcuate or curved upper face 15 of the Weatherstrip 14, forcing said Weatherstrip downwardly in the bar 5 against the tension of the spring 19. With the door in closed position the spring 19 yieldingly urges the Weatherstrip 14 upwardly into sealing engagement or contact with the lower edge of said door. The construction and arrangement of parts is such that the Weatherstrip 14 will readily conform to irregularities in the bottom edge of the door and variations in the height thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not'desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A threshold of the character described comprising: a bar of substantially H-shaped transverse section including a raised longitudinal central portion having a notch in one end, a longitudinal sealing strip mounted for vertical reciprocation in the upper channel portion of the bar and engageable beneath the lower edge of a door, an undulated flat spring mounted longitudinally on said raised central portion of the bar and engaged beneath the sealing strip for yieldingly urging same upwardly, an anchoring hook on one end of said spring releasably engaged in said notch, outwardly and downwardly inclined flanges integral with the sides of the bar, and means for positively limiting the upward movement of the sealing strip, said means including inturned flanges on the upper portion of the bar having constant wiping contact with vertical surfaces of said strip, and downwardly offset flanges on the longitudinal marginal portions of the sealing strip movable beneath the secondnamed flanges and having constant sliding dust-proofing contact with the interior surfaces of the side walls of said upper bar portion.

2. A threshold of the class described comprising, in combination, a bar substantially H-shaped in cross section embodying a pair of spaced parallel vertical side walls having coplanar lateral flanges on the upper edges of said side walls, said flanges being turned in toward each other, said bar further embodying an elevated horizontal centralized Web portion cooperating with the upper portions of said side walls and, in conjunction therewith defining an open ended channel for prescribed depth, a sealing strip mounted longitudinally in said channel for vertical reciprocation and having a convex tread surface with which the lower edge of a door is adapted to be engaged when the door is opened and closed, said web being provided at one end with a notch, an undulated longitudinally elongated spring interposed between the web and underneath'side of' said sealing -strip,*said sealing strip having a groove in which said spring is lonated, said spring being provided at, one endwith an ancho inghook engagedjwith a notched end of said'web, said sealing strip beingprovided along its hottomwith outstanding 'flanges having constant" dust=proqfing "sliding contact,with; the" interior surfaces of the wa11 ;portions of, said :channe1, .saidt sealing strip being ,of a predetermined cross-seetionahthickness,'a' thickness .which is such in Proportion to xd p pf sa dls hann l' th tl c011- x upp r fa vof "the sealin strip is, .at -alL times. dis- :p0sed;- in a plane ahove the topQsulffflcespf ,the iturned in flanges, the longitudinal sides of said sealing strip being-flat"and'the"inner edges "of' said-turned" in flanges having constant sealing and dust-proofing contact with said sides, the cooperation'of the respective flanges serv- 5 ing to restrict the reciprocation and movement of the sealing strip so that it is truly perpendicular to the horizontal of the bar and whatever play exists between the sealing strip and the bar,--is. minimal in degree.

References Cited qin thegfile of this patent 

